


40

by Gooberforgubler80



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Domestic Spencer Reid, F/M, Fluff, Marriage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-04
Updated: 2019-01-04
Packaged: 2019-10-04 06:28:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,159
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17299487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gooberforgubler80/pseuds/Gooberforgubler80
Summary: You and Spencer had made a pact at 23 that if neither was married by 40, you would marry each other. Now it's 17 years later and neither of you are married.





	40

Your 40th birthday loomed like a waiting anvil above your head, just shy of a week away. And here you were, a professor at a local university, unmarried, and no kids save for your pudgy dachshund named Winston. To say you felt alone would be accurate, but you’d told many a person you didn’t want to just settle for someone. You wanted the one. 

Down the hall, your neighbor, best friend, and resident genius, Spencer Reid was contemplating his own misfortunes. He had turned 40 the month before and was just as loveless and childless as you. He didn’t even have a pudgy furry friend to keep him company. The latter was by his choice, germs and such. 

You had befriended Spencer during your teenage years. He was at college and you were just starting high school. Your family had moved in next door and your mother insisted that the three of you go introduce yourselves to your neighbors. You and Spencer had become fast friends, bonding over science, Dr. Who, and Edgar Allen Poe. 

Both your parents and Spencer’s mother had urged the two of you to date but neither of you cared for that. Choosing your studies over romance. That didn’t stop their persistence though and when Spencer had been recruited to the FBI at the tender age of 23, the two of you made a pact. In the middle of the crowded Las Vegas airport, Spencer told you if you two turned 40, and weren’t married—he’d marry you. 

Now here you were, 17 years later, living down the hall from him, and both of you unmarried. 

A sharp rap at your door pulled you from your stupor, you carefully stepped over the yapping dog and looked through the peephole. 

“Spencer,” You breathed with a soft smile as you opened the door. 

“Hey there. Hope I’m not interrupting,” His arms were laden with sodas and pizza from the joint down the block. You smiled as you took the pie from him and walked into your kitchen. The two of you had a standing Saturday night pizza date. He would supply the pizza and drinks, you would supply the movies. More often than not, you had goaded your companion into watching the latest rom-com with you. 

“You realize most people don’t fall in love at first sight.” Spencer quipped between mouthfuls of greasy pizza, and swallows of Coke. 

“Yeah, but that’s what makes it cute. He’s a starving artist, she’s a beautiful model. It doesn’t have to make sense Spencer,” You added popping open a can of Diet Coke with a satisfying hiss. Spencer wrinkled his nose in disgust and you prepared for the avalanche of factoids. 

“Did you know, Diet Coke has aspartame in it which has been linked t-“ 

“Don’t want to hear it Spencer. I’m nearly 40. Let me have my damn Diet Coke in peace,” You cut Spencer off. His mouth closed with an almost audible pop as you took a large swallow of the deep brown liquid. 

A comfortable silence settled over the two of you as you devoured the remnants of the pizza and washed it down with some soda. The credits to the movie began to roll and you found yourself entangled in Spencer’s limbs, his snores softly ruffling over your ears. You smiled and disentangled yourself, cleaning up the mess and gently laying a blanket over Spencer. This happened all too often during these movie nights and you were secretly grateful for the company, the human company that is.   
Sunday morning dawned and before long you had managed to pull yourself from your bed and began to throw together some semblance of a breakfast. Spencer was still asleep on the couch. Winston curled at his feet, the two boys snoring softly as the morning sun slipped through the curtains, settling gently on their forms. You couldn’t help but smile softly as you brewed some coffee and made an extra cup for Spencer. 

“Spence,” You whispered coming to crouch by his head. His eyes scrunched even tighter and he groaned in disdain. 

“5 more minutes,”

“I have coffee..” His eyes tore open at the mention of his favorite drink. You laughed softly and handed him his mug along with the bag of sugar. 

“I don’t use this much sugar,” he whined softly. You laughed and ruffled his sleep mussed hair. 

“Ah, but sometimes you do.” You countered kissing his curls softly. 

Spencer set the bag of sugar down in defeat and set about opening it and carefully pouring a large portion of its contents into his cup. You raised a knowing eyebrow in his direction before plopping on the armchair next to him. Spencer just rolled his eyes and laughed softly at the display, taking a sip of the drink and setting it down as he cleared his throat. 

“What are you doing Friday morning?” Spencer queried, scrunching his nose slightly as Winston stirred and came to curl on his lap.

“Just bumming around, taking care of that little ball of fuzz. Semester’s over and I have 3 weeks off”

“Wanna get married?”

You nearly did a spit take of your own coffee in your living room. 

“Wh-What? Spencer. We haven’t even been on one date. We said ourselves that we preferred our academic studies and didn’t have time for romance. 

“But I made you a promise 17 years ago. Eidetic Memory, remember? I never forget.”

“Yeah, you and elephants. I swear to God, Reid,” You grumbled taking another swill of your coffee before setting it on the small side table between the two of you. 

“Y/N, You’ll be 40 on Thursday! I turned 40 last month! We promised if neither of us were married or seriously dating by the time we were 40, we would get married and I damn sure intend to keep a promise I made to my best friend,” The last 2 words came out through Spencer’s gritted teeth. 

“Alright. Let’s do it. A pact is a pact is it not, Dr. Reid,” You held out your hand. Spencer didn’t shake hands—usually. But he took yours in a firm grip.

“That it is, Mrs. Reid,” He laughed softly at the unfamiliar title and let go of your hand. 

“No. None of that. I’m still Dr. Y/L/N for professional purposes,” 

“Alright, wifey, whatever suits you. Who’s apartment are we going to live in? Mine? It’s bigger.” Spencer slowly sipped the now tepid coffee as his eyes met yours. 

“I guess so. You have that guest room I can take,” You mulled over your own drink as Spencer studied you thoughtfully.

“That could work. I’m sure Winston would love the window in there,” Spencer laughed softly. 

“Would you like a big old window to lay your pudgy little bum down in front of?” You giggled softly and reached across Spencer to ruffle Winston’s ears. 

***  
Friday approached like an unwanted relative, the contents of your stomach threatening to spill forth at the slightest touch. You pulled your hair into a loose side bun and smoothed out your blazer. This was no traditional wedding and you opted for a pale blue pantsuit, while Spencer opted for a black suit with a pale blue tie. 

“Wow, you sure look gorgeous,” Spencer breathed as you stepped out of the bathroom. You had finished moving your things into Spencer’s apartment the night before, the two of you falling asleep on the couch with an empty 6 pack and box of KFC on the coffee table. 

“Well, you sure look, handsome,” You smiled and took Spencer’s arm as he led you downstairs and out to the older model sedan he used for a car. 

The ceremony was quiet and intimate. “Just a quickie in the courthouse” is what Spencer had jokingly called it the night before. Rossi and Morgan were the only two in attendance. You couldn’t believe that this was happening. Even as the gold band slipped over Spencer’s ring finger, you still couldn’t believe that he had gone through with this, with the two of you. It was platonic, but you couldn’t placate the gnawing feeling in the back of your mind. 

Walking into the apartment that afternoon felt different. You weren’t just walking into your friend’s apartment. Now it was your home. Your home with your husband. 

“You doing okay?” Spencer came to stand behind you in the entryway and you jumped slightly. 

“Yeah, yeah, fine.” You smiled down at the diamond ring on your left hand and walked swiftly into your bedroom.

“Spencer?” Came the call a few moments later “Have you seen Winston? He’s not in his bed.” 

“N-Oh. Here he is.” Spencer chuckled softly as you followed his voice to his bedroom. The small rotund dog lying on the plush carpet in front of Spencer’s window snoring gently. 

“Oh. He likes it.” You gushed softly and clasped your hands in front of you. 

“Why don’t you sleep with me? I mean..we are married, and Winston obviously likes the bigger window” Spencer chuckled softly removing his tie and starting to unbutton his shirt. 

“You didn’t have to marry me just to sleep with me. You could’ve just asked, Reid,” You laughed softly and pulled your hair out of the bun as Spencer floundered for words. 

“I-I-I didn’t” He stuttered, turning a bright shade of crimson. 

“I know what you meant, Reid,” You laughed once more. “But yes, people would ask questions if we didn’t share a bed so I’ll move my stuff down here. Also, I get someone to put my cold feet on in the winter,” You winked. 

***

The next few months were bliss. You woke up to Spencer every morning. He kissed your forehead and asked how you’d slept. You gave the same answer every morning and then the two of you would meander to the kitchen for breakfast. Spencer picking at stray dog hairs on his shirt and complaining. To which you would respond with a laugh and tell him it was just Winston’s way of telling him that he loved him. 

When he was away on a case, you found yourself missing him more than usual. You weren’t sure when it happened, or why, but you came to love Spencer’s idiosyncrasies more and more every day. The way he’d bite his bottom lip while he read or the way he would take a small sip of coffee before putting in the sugar. 

It was a bright Sunday morning in May when you woke up next to Spencer, the sunlight bathing his face in yellow light. Setting a halo around his head with his curls. You tentatively reached out and brushed a stray piece of hair from his face, a motion that caused those hazel eyes to flutter open. 

“Morning,” A strangled whisper made its way through your lips as you stared at the young doctor. 

“How’d you sleep?” Spencer kissed your forehead and reached over for his glasses. The ones that as of late had made your heart race. Turned your knees into jelly. 

“Alright. Could’ve been better. I kept waking up.” You rambled reaching down to pick up Winston who had waddled over to the bed and was whining for cuddles. 

“Nooooo. Not in the bed! The fur!” Spencer whined and you laughed softly. 

“I’m doing wash today. I’ll clean it,” You said softly looking up and realizing Spencer was a hell of a lot closer than you imagined. 

“We’ve never kissed,” Spencer whispered huskily as one hand cupped your face and brought your lips to his. It was true. On your wedding day he had kissed your forehead, which you passed off as a germ thing to the judge marrying you. 

His lips were warm and soft, chapped from years of being bitten and licked raw. You let go of the puppy in your lap to tangle your fingers in his curls. When he pulled away, the two of you were completely breathless and you couldn’t stop the smile from plastering itself to your face. 

“When?” You asked, grabbing Spencer’s hand and lacing it with yours. 

“6,205 days ago. When I was recruited to the FBI and you took me to the airport” Spencer smiled rubbing your hand with his thumb. “What about you?” 

“Same time.” You smiled and placed a chaste kiss on his lips. 

“So we wasted 17 years beating around the bush only to find out we’ve been in love the whole time?” Spencer laughed softly. 

“I guess so,” You laughed along with him. Relieved to get that off your chest. 

“I guess we have some serious time to make up for” Spencer’s eyes darkened and his words dripped with his true intentions. You eagerly climbed out of bed and set Winston in the hall, tossing a chew toy to keep him occupied. 

“Good thing you’re stuck with me for life, Reid,” You smiled, slamming the door and climbing back into bed with Spencer.


End file.
